Art Star: 1943

Touching up the U.S. Army Air Forces insignia on a "Vengeance" dive bomber manufactured at Consolidated-Vultee's Nashville division. February 1943. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer.

The subject of official aircraft insignia is somewhat complex. There are actually two different "rules" about insignia, one of which is no longer followed. However, at the time of this photo, the US Civilian Insignia was still this symbol while the US Military Insignia dropped the red ball so that there would be no confusion with Japanese markings. I assume these planes were considered "civilian" aircraft until the military took possession, hence the discrepancy in the marking. I cannot find that the US Civilian Insignia was ever changed (the military insignia was changed several times during WWII), but in 1947 it was made optional and no one uses it today.